This invention relates in general to vehicle disc brake assemblies and in particular to an improved structure for a brake clip for use in a brake pad assembly of a disc brake assembly and a disc brake assembly including such a brake clip.
Most vehicles are equipped with a brake system for slowing or stopping movement of the vehicle in a controlled manner. A typical brake system for an automobile or light truck includes a disc brake assembly for each of the front wheels and either a drum brake assembly or a disc brake assembly for each of the rear wheels. The brake assemblies are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure generated when an operator of the vehicle depresses a brake pedal. The structures of these drum brake assemblies and disc brake assemblies, as well as the actuators therefore, are well known in the art.
A typical disc brake assembly includes a brake rotor which is secured to a wheel of the vehicle for rotation therewith. The disc brake assembly further includes a caliper assembly that is slidably supported on pins secured to an anchor bracket. The anchor bracket is secured to a non-rotatable component of the vehicle, such as the axle flange or steering knuckle, which is connected to the vehicle frame. The caliper assembly includes a pair of brake pads which are disposed on opposite sides of the brake rotor. The brake pads are connected to one or more hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pistons for movement between a non-braking position and a braking position, wherein they are moved into frictional engagement with the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor. For example, when an operator of the vehicle depresses the brake pedal, the piston urges the brake pads from the non-braking position to the braking position so as to frictionally engage the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor and thereby slow or stop rotation of the associated wheel of the vehicle.
When the disc brake assembly is not actuated, the brake pads are normally spaced apart from the opposite sides of the rotor. Because they are not positively engaged with the rotor, the brake pads are free to move relative to other brake and vehicle components during vehicle operation. As a result, vehicle induced vibration loads are known to cause undesirable rattle or other noises between the brake pads and the other brake components. To prevent this from occurring, it is known to provide a brake clip between the anchor bracket and the brake pad.
A typical brake clip is embodied as a spring metal member having outwardly extending legs or walls which spring load each of the brake pads against a non-moving component of the disc brake assembly. The brake clip exerts a relatively small force against the associated brake pad which prevents it from rattling while limiting pad sliding resistance to an optimum level when the disc brake assembly is disengaged. However, during shipping and prior to the installation of the disc brake assembly on a vehicle having the rotor, there is nothing to prevent one or both of the brake pads from moving into the open space created by the rotor not being present and possibly falling out of the disc brake assembly. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a brake clip that prevents the brake pads from falling out of the disc brake assembly prior to installation on the vehicle.